NBA champion James says he will not stop talking about “things that are wrong” after criticism from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Four-time NBA champion LeBron James responded to Swedish football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, saying there is no reason why he shouldn’t have as big an effect outside the basketball court as he has on her.
James has been a force for social change in the United States, focusing much of his attention on police brutality and racial injustice against African Americans.
He spoke openly about the police shooting against Jacob Blake in Wisconsin last year and against former President Donald Trump, and worked with other NBA stars to try to get blacks to vote during the recent US election that brought Joe Biden to the power.
“I speak with a very polite mind. I’m the wrong guy to attack because I do my homework, ”said James on Friday after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 102-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
James was responding to Ibrahimovic’s comments earlier this week that athletes should “stay out” of politics, mentioning James by name and calling him for his political activism.
“[LeBron] it’s phenomenal in what it’s doing, but I don’t like it when people have some kind of status, go and do politics at the same time, ”said Ibrahimovic.
In an interview with UEFA for Discovery + in Sweden, the striker said it is a “mistake” when athletes leave their lane.
“I don’t do politics … This is the first mistake that people make when they become famous and reach a certain status. Stay out of it. Do what you do best because it doesn’t look good, ”said Ibrahimovic.
‘Powerful voice
James helped found the organization More Than a Vote, which increased voter turnout in black areas. The group organized more than 40,000 volunteers to work at the polls during the federal elections in November.
James says winning championships is one thing, but inspiring and empowering people and bringing Americans together is just as rewarding.
“At the end of the day, I would never be silent about the things that are wrong. I preach about my people and I preach about equality, social injustice, racism, suppression of voters. Things that happen in our community, ”said James.
“There was no way I was going to limit myself to sports. I know how powerful my voice is. “
James said he likes to think that it is the beginning of something much bigger in the sport.
“You see young people talking about things they think are unfair,” he said.
“For a long time, we heard: ‘As athletes, you should be grateful to be able to throw a ball, dribble a ball, swing a baseball bat. You shouldn’t be able to talk about anything else. ‘
“This is no longer the case. It won’t be the case for long. “
James also made it clear that he was aware of the comments made in 2018 by Ibrahimovic, Swedish son of Bosnian father and Croatian mother.
“He’s the guy who said in Sweden, he was talking about the same things, because his last name was not a [traditional Swedish] last name, he felt there was some racism going on when he was on the field, ”said James.
In fact, Ibrahimovic told Canal Plus that “covert racism” caused the Swedish media and public to treat him with less respect and reverence.
“It exists, I’m 100 percent sure, because I’m not Andersson or Svensson. If I were like that, believe me, they would defend me even if I robbed a bank. “